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[nightmarist]

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[nightmarist]

Please text him.

[They can save it for posterity. Look, this whole thing is as funny as it is sad. The next question gets a snort out of Ronan, and a rueful little smile.]

No one out there really deserves us. If anyone knew half of what we could do, we'd all be dead.

[redhott]

No, that's totally not true!

[ Kyle, pure and naive, is actually so offended that these boys would think their efforts wouldn't be wanted because of their past. NOO!! HEROES COME FORM ALL WALKS OF LIFE! ]

Help should always be rewarded, no matter who or where it comes from. You really think they'd turn on you guys?

[nightmarist]

[Dispassionately and with much weariness:]

My father was the same thing I am, and he was murdered in our driveway. So I guess we'll just call this experience talking.

[redhott]

[ Ooookay, that shuts him up. That shuts him right the hell up. He stares at the flame because it's too hard to look at Ronan right now. ]

I'm sorry.

[nightmarist]

[Oh, gross. Now Kyle's all sad and shit. Ronan sighs like he's more annoyed than upset.]

Whatever. Point is, it'll be me sooner or later. I'm hoping for later.

[redhott]

[ WELL EXCUSE HIM! But he is a sensitive soul! ]

For what you are, or what you've done?

[nightmarist]

I am what I am because of what I do.

[Ergo, there really isn't a distinction.]

People have been trying to find me for a long time. Some wanna use me and some just wanna cut me into pieces. I'm not super into the idea of being put in a cage or a display box, and I don't owe it to the world to help anyone.

[redhott]

[ Kyle nods, even if it's not the answer he would want from another. ]

... I understand more than you'd think.

[ But that's all he says. He's not willing to bare his mistakes and vulnerabilities at a time like this. But, at the same time, he's the one that always makes their hang outs awkward, so Kyle needs to at least lighten the mood.

With a hand on Ronan's shoulder, he gently urges him back several steps as he turns his fat bonfire into a spiraling tornado that spins high into the heavens. ]

I don't usually play with fire, so uhh... hit the deck if something goes wrong?

[nightmarist]

[Ronan finds nothing particularly awkward about this encounter, as every encounter involving him tends to get super weird. For all Kyle's worry, Ronan mostly looks amused.]

If you kill me, make sure you tell them it was an accident.

[But he steps back as directed, eyes on the tornado of fire. It's an impressive display.]

[redhott]

If I kill you, I'll be too traumatized to tell anyone anything!

[ His spiral of flame starts to bend and move through the sky like a snake. Unlike his friend Spooks he can't contort his powers to create a face, but it's still pretty sweet. ]

[nightmarist]

That's nice of you.

[Most people would celebrate and maybe dance on Ronan's unmarked grave. Now that the snake's in the sky, Ronan steps closer to Kyle again, stopping when they're shoulder-to-shoulder. He keeps his gaze on the flames.]

[redhott]

Yeah, I'm a pretty nice guy.

[ Kyle puts an amiable arm around Ronan's shoulders once he comes close. His warmth quickly soaks past the boy's clothes right into his body as it always does. ]

Let's see if I can give it legs...

[ His face pinches in concentration as Kyle tries something he's never before. In his mind's eye he imagines pulling arms out of the spiral of flames. But, uhhh, all that happens is an explosion of the fire in all directions across the sky. ]

Oh shit—

[nightmarist]

[When Kyle's arm slips around his shoulders, Ronan slowly turns his head to regard him. It's a simple, inoffensive gesture, but Ronan isn't used to being touched so casually by someone outside his inner circle. And despite their first encounter, Ronan wouldn't have named Kyle as a friend, let alone anything closer. He's beginning to feel he may have to reconsider his position. Emotionally, that is.

The explosion draws his attention back to the sky. Ronan doesn't appear remotely alarmed, though some of the flames come dangerously close to the house. There's no need to worry, really. The house itself is Ronan's magic, and protected further by Adam's magic. At this point, he considers it nigh indestructible.]

Cool.

[redhott]

[ Kyle releases the death grip he accidentally put on Ronan's shoulder when his fire exploded in the most novel way. ] Y-Yeah, at least no one got hurt. [ That's the silver lining to carelessly trying to impress a guy with his fire powers: No casualties. ]

[ Glancing over at Ronan, he watches the last of the bright scorches in the night sky reflect off his sharp face. ]

[nightmarist]

I didn't think anyone would.

[As the fire dies away, Ronan returns his gaze to Kyle, only to catch Kyle looking back at him. He can read Kyle's expression well enough, entirely accustomed to admiration in people's eyes when they look at him, and entirely accustomed to ignoring them. Ronan is more than satisfied with his collection of lovers. Revenge handjobs aside, he's not seeking more than he already has.

Kyle, though... He doesn't seem to be ready to leave their intimacy behind, and the responsible part of Ronan feels both obligated and touched. Casual encounters are so distasteful, especially when compared to the intensity of the Meadows love polygon. He appreciates Kyle's persistence. He'd be a good boyfriend.]

Wanna see the lake? It's not far.

[redhott]

[ Intimacy or no, Kyle has a hard time stepping away from the people he meets, especially if they are hot. So sorry, Ronan. You're stuck with this dweeb. ]

Yes! Unless I should be suspicious. Are there creatures lurking in it?

[ After a church full of a big ol' scary night terror and the constant threat of murder!!! Kyle must always be on his toes. ]

[nightmarist]

Fish, probably.

[Rather than pull away, Ronan's hand slips around and settles on Kyle's side, keeping hold of him as they walk through the field toward the lake's sandy shore. He imagines a large body of water will make Kyle feel a bit more at ease with his condition.]

[redhott]

[ Okay. Fish. Kyle can handle that. And the friendly arm wrapped around him is appreciated. ]

Damn. It's so black at night. [ You can't see anything in the dark waters. ] Is it cold?

[nightmarist]

Aren't you always warm anyway?

[Though Ronan hadn't intended to enter the water, he's not opposed to the idea. They can hear the water lapping at the shore more than they can see it. Ronan comes to a stop when he can feel it splashing against the toe of his boot and turns just slightly toward Kyle. His palm sliding down to Kyle's hip, Ronan's fingers nudge beneath Kyle's waistband to tease at his heated skin.]

It's okay for skinny dipping, if that's what you're wondering.

[redhott]

... I was. [ It's embarrassing to admit, especially when Ronan's hand starts dipping down his back, but what else can you do with a lake in the middle of the night? Fish? He doesn't know how to fish! He can, however, easily take off his clothes and wade into the water, cold or no. ] And I was more concerned about you. You get cold easily.

[nightmarist]

I'm sure you won't let me freeze.

[And just like that, Ronan slips away to begin stripping off his clothes. In the warm summer night, there's not much to take off. He sheds his tank, jeans, and boots in mere seconds, leaving them in a pile somewhere in the darkness where he's reasonably certain the water won't take them. Then he wades forward, leaving little time for Kyle to hesitate.]

[redhott]

... Wow. [ He just got right on in without a blink. Kyle needs to amp up his game—Actually, no, he doesn't. This is amped up for him, and yet these boys leave him in the dust. Sheesh!

So, he struggles out of his clothes awkwardly and puts them in a pile beside Ronan's, then he steps in tentatively. It's not the temperature that concerns him, it's the unknown! But nothing has eaten Ronan yet. Should be okay? ]

Temp okay?

[ Kyle can't feel whether it's pleasant or terrible. Ronan will have to tell him if he wants to be warmed up. ]

[nightmarist]

A little chilly.

[As a farmboy with plenty of experience swimming in lakes, it's nothing Ronan can't handle. But he offers that as an invitation, slowing enough to Kyle to reach him once the water's at his waist. Really, all of this is for Kyle's benefit.]

[redhott]

[ Kyle's benefit, huh? Good thing he doesn't know what a pity case he is. But, eh, he's got a naked Ronan right in front of him. Pity's gotten him this far, right? ]

Here. [ He rests his arm on one of Ronan's shoulders to let the heat pour back into him. ]

[nightmarist]

[Pity alone wouldn't get Kyle this far. Ronan pities plenty of people without allowing them to touch him. He's not even particularly mindful of repaying debts, though that's something he's attempting to do better. It's the collision of all these forces: that he likes Kyle, that Kyle once pleasured him, that Kyle did it well, and that Kyle's circumstances leave him with few opportunities to be pleasured in return. Ronan's interested in the challenge, aroused by the idea, and convinced by a sense of obligation.

So he leans into Kyle's touch, open to whatever Kyle was seeking out when he came here.]

That feels nice.

[And it does, one kind of warmth spreading through him, and then another building between his legs.]